The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) joined media leaders and journalists on Thursday, 22 October 2026, in Lagos to celebrate veteran journalist, editor and columnist, Lade Bonuola, on his 80th birthday and the launch of LadBon: A Life in Print, a collection of essays documenting his career and contributions to Nigerian journalism.
Speaking at the event, Dapo Olorunyomi, founder of WSCIJ, acknowledged Mr Bonuola’s enduring contributions to the profession, describing him as “perhaps the most remarkable of the most consequential editors of the late 20th century history of the Nigerian print press.”
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) also used the occasion to launch its Living Archives Initiative, aimed at digitising and preserving the works and legacies of individuals who have shaped journalism across Africa. Olorunyomi, who is also the publisher of PREMIUM TIMES and chief executive officer of CJID, said Bonuola was selected as the initiative’s first subject in recognition of his contributions and continued relevance to Nigerian journalism.
The book documents Bonuola’s 50-year career, which began at the Daily Times in 1976 and continued through The Guardian, The Comet and The Compass. It explores six aspects of his life, including his commitment to editorial excellence, expertise, mentorship, courage and contributions beyond the newsroom.
Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State and chairman of the occasion, recalled Mr Bonuola’s uncompromising commitment to editorial standards. Reflecting on their time at the Sunday Times, where Osoba served as deputy editor and Bonuola as sub-editor, he recounted how the latter insisted on correcting grammatical and punctuation errors, sometimes delaying production to ensure accuracy.
Osoba described Bonuola as a serious-minded intellectual whose attention to detail helped raise editorial standards. He also recalled recommending him as the pioneer editor of The Guardian, where he helped establish standards subsequently followed by other newspapers.
In his review of LadBon: A Life in Print, Kunle Ajibade, former editor of The News magazine, described Bonuola as a journalist committed to excellence, truth and discipline. He noted the veteran journalist’s keen interest in international media, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as his admiration for journalists such as Christiane Amanpour and his habit of reading books on journalism and autobiographies.
In his remarks, Bonuola thanked Olorunyomi for organising the celebration and praised his dedication to work. He described the WSCIJ founder’s commitment as “matchless application and dedication to work” and disclosed that he reads PREMIUM TIMES stories daily.
Bonuola rose to prominence at the Daily Times, where he worked as a sub-editor and later features editor. He became widely known for his “Caught Out” column, written under the pen name Ladbone, which highlighted common grammatical errors in newspapers.
He subsequently joined the team that established The Guardian, serving as its pioneer editor from 1982 to 1988 and later as managing director of the newspaper group from 1989 to 1999. He also co-founded The Comet and served as publisher of Nigerian Compass from 2009 to 2011.
During his tenure at The Guardian, Bonuola introduced the “Caught Out” column, which published court schedules, and “Flight Guardian”, which featured flight schedules of national carriers. He also established pages dedicated to motoring and religious affairs, reflecting his interest in diverse subjects and for balanced coverage. He currently chairs VerityHeights Bureau Limited, an online publication focused on expanding knowledge.
Other notable attendees included Frank Keurhorst, consul-general of the Netherlands in Lagos, Lai Mohammed, Former Minister of Information and Culture, Dele Momodu, Founder, Ovation magazine, Martins Oloja, former Editor-in-Chief at The Guardian and several other media professionals. .
